Men's dress slacks - pleated or flat front?

[Poiuyt]

For middle age men in conservative business situations

[Drum]

1. Pleated, with cuffs.

And yes, I know, I know: the conundrum of the puffiness of pleated trousers! But many are well-done and not silly-looking. I try to find single-pleat ones as a nice compromise between room in the hips and a smooth profile.

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

2. I guess pleated is more proffessional and formal.

However I find flat more comfortable and you don't look funny when you sit down

[musiclawyer]

3. Pleated all the way

I have a very athletic build, but IMHO no pleats is for very young skinny guys only. I have a few suits with no pleats, but am on the margin of not getting away with it anymore.

[Giant Robot]

27. I'm pretty thin and I prefer pleated

I think it looks better on me and fills out my frame more.

[Deja Q]

4. Business or not, I always wear pleated with the cuffs at the bottom.

To wear 'flat front', I'd have to wear a couple sizes larger... :blush:

[swag]

30. Is it you in this vid then?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNlJaJUXRwM

[SKKY]

5. Depends on the situation...

...pleated for formal or business, and flat front for casual, unless the flat front pants are part of a suit. Some other rules I live by regarding this. I would never, ever wear a sweater with flat from pants, just as I would never wear a polo-type shirt with pleated pants. I don't remember where, but I read those rules somewhere, and it stuck.

[Redstone]

6. I go with the non-pleated ones, myself. But then again, I also wear Tony Lamas

(cowboy boots) with a business suit. Cowboy shirts (with snaps instead of buttons) too.

So you may want to do other than what I do.

Redstone

[Scooter24]

7. I'd stick with flat

pleated makes your waist look like it's blossoming, not a very slimming touch. About 95% of my pants are flat.

[BlackVelvet04]

8. Pleated will always make you appear heavier.....

and cuffed makes you look shorter. Well, at least according to What Not to Wear. :-)

[DawgHouse]

9. Flat front for everyone!

[MissB]

10. Dh chooses flat front exclusively.

He's skinny, so he likes the flat front.

[GOPisEvil]

11. Pleated pants are tools of the devil.

Go flat front. Especially if the middle aged man is a little on the portly side. If you are thin, you can get away with pleats, but if you're carrying some weight, the pleats bulge out.

[madrchsod]

12. old school

tapered,pleated , and cuffed......

[dannofoot]

13. AARRGGHH! I've never responded...

...to a fashion post before, but...(IMO)

Pleated pants for men are only for guys over 65 going to Red Lobster for the Saturday Early Bird Specials!

It doesn't mater if you're middle-aged (I'm there). And especdially if it's a business situation, you want a look that says more than "These slacks are as comfortable as my old Sans-A-Belts!"

Buy a copy of Esquire.

Geez, the things that make me rant...I never would've guessed..

[LostinVA]

14. Flat front -- NEVER pleats

Trust me, Carson would say the same.

[lostnotforgotten]

15. Pleats Always!

eom

[Jade Fox]

16. Pleats look classy.

[UTUSN]

17. "middle aged" = BELLY!!1 NO pleats!!1 n/t

[SPKrazy]

18. I like non pleated

and no cuffs

:shrug:

of course I'm not conservative in any aspect of my life, and I don't have to dress that way for work.

If I were dressing conservatively I might go with pleats, certainly my suits have pants with pleats, but I rarely ever wear them.

:shrug:

[Connonym]

19. flat, always

unless you've got a belly you can bounce a quarter off of, flat is always, always more flattering

[kwassa]

20. Pleating is for girly boys

Real men wear flat fronts.
:kick:

[SarahB]

21. I like the pleats.

:shrug:

[Richard Steele]

22. Pleated. Flat fronts just scream "I wish we were part of a polyester leisure suit" to me.

Or at least they used to. They actually say it in more
of a normal conversational tone since I started
taking these new meds.

[alcibiades_mystery]

23. Ugh...pleats

Now, you can have flat front pant pressed with a crease, but please, dear God, avoid the pleats.

It's almost as bad as the chinos with the polo shirt tradition: you mark yourself as lacking in any styule whatsoever, a real organization man. Pleats. Disgusting.

[NMDemDist2]

24. pleated and cuffed n/t

[RushIsRot]

25. I cannot deal with pleats or cuffs! I'm sure it's just me.

[mulsh]

26. correctly fitted it doesn't much matter.

I'm a fat guy. I wear plain front and pleated pants, long rise so I don't get that Dockers-pinched-crotch look that is ever so fashionable amongst the mid-management crowd. I also take my fat ass and pants to a tailor and get them altered, it helps to try on a couple of pairs in what ever size you think you wear, since the cut varies from pair to pair and maker to maker. finding a good tailor is also worth it. expensive but you're not going to clearing brush in most business situations.

[Rosemary2205]

28. It all depends on the shape of the man in question.

pleats and beer bellies don't go well together.

[xchrom]

29. flat front -- pleats make men look dumpy.

seriously -- pleats are awful.
i don't care how ncely they are done.

and one more thing -- men -- please stop pulling your pants clear up to your tits.

they should rest -- lightly -- just below your hips.

[buddhamama]

31. yes.

thank you! :yourock: :hi: :loveya:

[xchrom]

32. GirlFiend!!! -- hi!!!

:loveya: :hug: :loveya:

[Left Is Write]

36. Thank you!

I completely agree.

[xchrom]

37. we anti-pleats have to stick together!

down with pleats!

down with pleats!

[Ivan Sputnik]

33. Flat front is more "in"

Pleats are a bit "out," at the moment. Depends on the image you're trying to project. More important than either, though, is correct fit.

[mitchum]

34. Pleated works for me, but I am tall and slim

[Left Is Write]

35. I prefer flat front, and they must be properly fitted.